Bus and rail operator Chicago Transit Authority would see its state support cut by $130.1 million, or 45 percent. Suburban bus operator PACE would lose about $10 million, or 41 percent of its state support.
Each of the three agencies is part of the larger, state-supported Regional Transportation Authority. The system is the second largest transit system in the country by passenger miles traveled, behind only New York, and the third largest in the country by ridership, behind New York and Los Angeles.
Metra recently implemented an average fare increase of 11 percent, and doing so again “is just not a practical solution,” Chairman Martin Oberman says. “(Rauner’s proposal) leaves everybody up in the air, but the idea would be to minimize the disruption and cut where it will affect the least number of people.”
Oberman says service reductions would be needed if the governor’s proposal is passed by the legislature. Those would not happen until the start of the next budget cycle in July.
“These cuts could ultimately result in hundreds of thousands of drivers returning to our already heavily trafficked road and highway system and impact vital connections to jobs and education throughout the region,” RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden says.
“The governor looks forward to working with the RTA to help them implement many of the reforms he has already proposed that will help reduce costs and provide greater value for taxpayers,” Catherine Kelly, a spokeswoman for the governor’s office, says.
For more on Metra, see the March 2015 issue of Trains Magazine.
"These cuts could ultimately result in hundreds of thousands of drivers returning to our already heavily trafficked road and highway system and impact vital connections to jobs and education throughout the region," RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden says.
But that's okay. Rauner plans to increase highway spending…
Hooray for Governor Rauner. Chicago is a black hole of corruption and my tax dollars don't need to go there. Has anyone ever heard of user fees?
If Illinois wants to truly save money on their state transportation budget, they need to zero out all expenditures for the Illiana Toll Road. Even that would do good for its highway budget. Illinois has too much aging infrastructure that needs attention now. While they are at it, ditch funding for the Peotone Airport, too.
It's so sickening what the republicans are doing to destroy public transportation in this country. They're trying to make it next to impossible travel anywhere in this country to get to work or for pleasure. We're becoming a fourth world country. Never mind third world.
Typical Republican who sees no value in public transportation.
just wondering how the governor thinks all of those displaced commuters are going to get to work
I predicted this well BEFORE he was elected. And yes, most of the people who would be affected likely voted for him last fall. (Cook County is overwhelmingly Democratic, the collar counties largely Republican…and that's Metra's constituency). The good news is, Mike Madigan (Speaker of the House) has already said this is a no-go. What eventually will happen? Stay tuned. This soap opera has just started.
Starting the fifth decade of passenger rail advocacy and nothing has changed.
I for one hope the riders that are most affected are the ones that voted for him. Its cool to be allegiant to a party, but when it comes to personal space and inconvenience, voters change parties like I change my socks, DAILY.
I don't think the state of Illinois has money to expand roads either. By comparison, transit is a bargain for the state. However, money has to come from somewhere. If they can't cut something else or tax for it (Illinois' taxes higher than many other states) the practical alternative is to increase fares. I think most passengers would pay, especially during rush hour when the alternative is to sit in the parking lot that is supposed to be a highway. I think this makes more sense than cutting service.
By the way, 170 million is a drop in the bucket compared to Illinois' budget hole. Hopefully another 170 million can be found out of something with a much bigger total.
Yes Mr. Rauner does have a plan for all that new vehicular traffic: build new highways or at least widen the existing ones. Bet the guv will find the $$$ for that even though he can't find it for transit. These guys are all the same but somebody elects them.
Of course Metra could spend less money on maintenance of ROW & equipment. Why pay today when you can spend more tomorrow.
I'm sure the governor has a solid plan of what to do the the thousands of extra cars that will be on the roads !!